With CES coming shortly, everyone’s attention has been turned to Apple and their new “iTablet”. There is no question that Apple makes quality products, this is not the debate. From speaking to people and reading everything I can about what new technology is “in the pipeline”, I have found that many believe that Apple is about to unveil something we’ve never seen before. Odds are that we may eventually see a tablet-like pc from Apple, but this is not some new technological achievement that hasn’t been done before. Many manufacturers, like Microsoft, have been involved in tablet PC’s for many years. The difference, people expect Apple to unveil some brand new ground-breaking technology that we’ve been waiting for all of our lives…I wouldn’t count on it.
While I believe that we will see a tablet PC from Apple soon and it may have some new ideas and an infrastructure of apps due to the iPhone app store, I certainly do not see why everyone is holding their breathe and have been for years for something that has been around for quite some time. What I believe we can expect to see are improvements in hardware and software for tablet PC’s as well as a whole new list of companies trying their hand at the niche market.
One particular item that I am very excited about is the Microsoft Courier. I first read about the Courier earlier in the year in a Gizmodo article describing the secret tablet PC and while the concept is definitely a niche market, it should be a great tool for executives and those who daily use electronics to stay organized. For those who haven’t yet heard or seen concepts of the Courier, it is a dual-screen tablet computer that uses advancements made by the Surface and the Zune HD to bring a touch-friendly interface to the tablet PC world. It looks like a book of tablet PC’s on both sides with a hinge in the middle. For more information and a video on the prototype, click here.
Courtesy of Gizmodo
Microsoft has been very quiet concerning the Courier and whether we might see a live prototype at the coming convention, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to use CES to steal some of Apple’s iTablet thunder.
Other than the Courier, I am very excited to see what tablet PC makers do with the Windows 7 operating system. Windows 7 is obviously made for the use of touch computing and with new features, lower battery consumption and great reviews coming in steadily, PC manufactures should have no problem adopting the OS for their new tablets. The main issue with tablet PC’s in the past was the lack of an app infrastructure coupled with a clunky feel, being more like a laptop than a true tablet. This could all change, especially since we’ve seen Microsoft make leaps in hardware quality with the OLED Zune HD.
I am probably not one for tablet PC’s, but I can definitely see a use for them. The question is: has Microsoft and other manufacturers finally equalized their hardware and ingenuity with what Apple may unveil in the coming months?
